This presentation discusses visual reading aids and strategies to help students with dyslexia or visual impairments. It outlines several strategies including using colored overlays, window rulers, adjusting text size and positioning. The strategies are intended to help with issues like tracking words, eye strain, copying and comprehension by reducing visual distortions and movement of text for students. Research shows these low-tech solutions can significantly improve reading ability and success for students with underlying visual processing or basic visual deficits.

1. Strategies Presentation
Visual Reading Aids
Marilyn Romero
EEX6067

2. Overview of Strategy
 Purpose- Visual difficulties among students with learning
disabilities take two forms: visual-processing dysfunction
and deficits in basic visual skills.
 Students with a visual-processing dysfunction have problems
interpreting visual information even when the visual
information is clear.
 Students with basic visual disability have problems obtaining
sufficient visual information, but can interpret what they see.
 Research Base-These are not considered information-
processing disorders, but can potentially evolve other
disabilities. Despite differences in causes and primary
interventions, the two types of visual difficulties may lead
to similar behaviors and may respond to similar secondary
strategies.Visual tracking aids enable students to
maintain their place on a page of text and process
information better. Color overlays can also assist by
lessening the contrast to make text look clearer.

3. Population
• 2nd-5th grade students with…
• Dyslexia or
• Visual Impairments
Content
• Subject-
• Reading (can apply to all
subjects and daily life)
• VisualAbility

4. Steps of Strategy
1. Work with the student in a small group or one-on-one to
assess the students’ visual reading abilities.
2. Use reading level appropriate material.
3. Conduct the assistive technologies survey found at
http://www.onionmountaintech.com/files/PersonalChoice
s.pdf
4. Determine the area of need (focusing, positioning, color
contrast, or size)
5. Once a need is targeted apply strategies for that need…
• Focusing-use tracking aids such as a reading
window/ruler (Teacher made reading
windows are easy to create by cutting a
rectangular window in a strip of card stock.)
• Positioning- display reading material upright and
at different angles.
• Color contrast-place each of the different colors,
one at a time, over a page of print. Select the
colored overlay that makes the print the clearest
and easiest to read.
• Size- enlarge print size of reading materials and
worksheets.
6. Use multiple visual reading strategies if necessary, and
use multiple senses during instruction.
7. Prepare for reading success.
Focusing Positioning
Color Contrast Size

5. Strengths
 The use of visual reading aids
provides new opportunities for
many at-risk readers.
 Decreases stress and frustrations
while reading, and increases
students’ positive attitudes
towards reading.
Weaknesses
 Unfortunately, there are no cures
dyslexia and some visual
impairments, but colored
overlays and other strategies
have made a tremendous
difference in the lives of students
with visual disabilities.
 Students need to be guided to
use assistive technologies
independently, so they do not
become distractions.

6. Possible Adaptations
• (1) Students who are ELLs
-It is beneficial for students who are
ELLs to use window rulers because it
allows them to focus on reading one
line at time so that they do not get
overwhelmed with unknown words.
• (2) Students with disabilities)
-Students with basic visual deficits
may benefit from visual therapy (eye
exercises) or the use of tinted
glasses. Students with visual
impairments may also benefit from
enlarged print on pages and even
the use of bolder colors.

7. Results Intended to Achieve
Students with Dyslexia or Visual Impairments
sometimes experience…
 Letter or word reversals
 Eye strain, headaches
 Problems tracking words
or numbers on a page
 Problems copying
 Difficulty reading for long periods of
time
 Slow, halting reading
 Poor comprehension
TheseVisual ReadingAids are intended to…
 Reading Success
 Confidence
 Independence

8. Conclusion
 For some people, looking at black letters on white paper causes headaches and eye fatigue,
or words may seem to shake, move, or reverse.The correct colored overlay can dramatically
reduce visual distortions or discomfort and improves reading and learning ability.
 Students who see letters, numbers, pictures or objects sliding, reversing, shaking, and/or
doubling often have visual dyslexia. All that movement makes learning to read extremely
difficult.The correct colored overlay placed over a page of print can stop or reduce the
movement and enable the student to read.
 When these same students try to copy a page of print, their letters, words, and numbers
show the distortions they actually see. Fortunately, when the correct colored overlay is
placed over that same page of print, the movement stops, students perceive the words and
numbers as they really are and write them correctly.This is the way mere colored overlays
have made a significant impact on students. Window rulers, positioning trays, and larger text
have also improved students’ reading ability tremendously.
Resources
 Jager, B. K., & Moser, V. (2000). Collaboration and Role Release: Can Diverse Special Education Teachers & Regular
Education Teachers Work Together To Serve Students with Visual Impairment or with Learning Disabilities?.
 http://www.dyslexiacure.com/oldsite/

9. Thank you for listening!